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Post by whipea on Nov 23, 2016 13:22:42 GMT
My typical Thanksgivings growing up involved tons of family, friends and my parent's work associates. We weren't super wealthy or anything like that, it was that I grew up in the 50's-60's in the south and was common to have help. They would set up long tables outside around the pool to accommodate the guests and bring in our housekeeper Lucy to serve and clean up.
One year will always stand out. When I was about 9 years old my cousins came down from the northeast and were outraged that we planned on having our maid work over Thanksgiving, keeping her from her family. So we, the children got together and asked my parents if they would pay Lucy and send her home. We vowed to do the serving and cleanup and they agreed. I am sure our work was not stellar, but my parents were supportive of our plan and we had fun as well as feeling wonderful about giving Lucy time to spend with her family.
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Nink
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,947 
Location: North Idaho
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Post by Nink on Nov 23, 2016 15:31:34 GMT
When I was a kid the whole family was gathered for thanksgiving dinner around our huge dining table. It came time to serve Grandmas pumpkin pie. Grandpa got a slice and when he went to use the whip cream in a can a shot of air from the can hit the ashtray(this was the 70's) and blew all the ashes and cigarette butts onto Grandmas pie. She was madder than a wet hen and cussing like a sailor. The harder we all laughed the more trouble Pa was in. All us kids call each other to reminisce about it every year.
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Post by duchess on Nov 23, 2016 17:14:40 GMT
When I was younger my mom always had us help her with the meals and that meant that we were to stir (and stir, and stir...seemed like forever) the gravy until it got thick after we poured in the cornstarch/water mix. I told that to my husband right after we got married when we were talking about holiday memories, and bragging what a great cook my mom was and how everything is homemade. So the first (and only) time he came to a holiday meal with my family, my mom pulled out a jar of gravy. My husband never believed a story I told about my mom's cooking after that and every year when we cook turkey, he pulls out a jar of 'your mom's homemade gravy' and laughs.
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Post by ilikepink on Nov 23, 2016 17:48:01 GMT
Great stories! Hugs...
I have a few - My eldest son said his first two words together on Thanksgiving - after a spoon of pumpkin pie, he said Good Pie!
The first Tday my 2ndDH and I were married, we hosted his entire family - 17 people all together. My largest dinner I'd ever done, and I was panicked there wouldn't be enough food. We used two tables - dining room and family room (where we normally ate dinner-no room in the kitchen for a table). Two different sets of dishes (because heaven forbid I use the china in the family room or the kitchen dishes in the dining room-my quirk!). All the food was split in two serving dishes and put on the table. Last minute I added a bag of frozen broccoli because I was afraid someone would go hungry, so put in another veggie. Popped it, in the kitchen dish, in the microwave. And promptly forgot about it - we did have tons of food, and no one went hungry. The next day, after going shopping, we all came back into the house to an awful smell--found the broccoli! They have never let me forget it......
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tincin
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,368
Jul 25, 2014 4:55:32 GMT
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Post by tincin on Nov 23, 2016 18:44:46 GMT
When I was about 11 my DB, in the Air Force, was stationed in TX. My parents decided to visit them for Thanksgiving. My father and my SIL, DB's wife, never got along. We ate dinner that SIL insisted on fixing completely on her own, it was okay. Not nearly enough food because she came from a tiny family and there were 9 of us plus her and DB. It was fine because dessert was next so we had plenty of room for the two pumpkin pies we saw. She made a grand display, to us, of cutting the pie and passing it out, insisting no one take a bite till she sat back down. Just pie, no ice cream or whipped cream. Finally she sat down and we all took a bit of pie and about gagged. Not a grain of sugar in the pie. We knew better than to spit it out though. She started crying. My Dad, who was trying to play nice, asked for the sugar bowl. He sprinkled some sugar on top and took a big bite. Exclaiming it was just fine and insisted we all do the same. It was years before I tried another piece of pumpkin pie. Looking back, I am amazed at how well behaved my Dad was with her. My Mother must have threatened him.  . We laugh about it now but not if she's near. She really doesn't have much of a sense of humor. |
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Post by jlynnbarth on Nov 23, 2016 19:19:14 GMT
My Grandad was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 40. So before I was ever born, he had been on a very strict diet of no sugar. He even carried sugar free syrup with him to restaurants he went to for breakfast, and ordered whole wheat pancakes with no butter. ugh! Anyway... He never cheated because the diabetes was so bad. If you can picture Shelby (Julia Roberts) in the movie Steel Magnolias when she was having an insulin reaction, while getting her hair done, that would be the exact same scene you would see with my Grandad.  It's heart wrenching. Well Thanksgiving was his one exception on no sugar intake. He would ask for a "Sliver" of pumpkin pie. If he was brought too large of a sliver he would cut it down to the size he knew his body could handle. I always sat with him while he ate his pie and I loved the look of rapture on his face as he ever so slowly would scrape a tiny amount of filling onto his fork and almost reverently enjoy that little morsel of heavenly goodness. He could make that slice of pie last 30 mins. We would chat about other foods that he wished he could eat, but that Pumpkin Pie was his ultimate favorite. He passed away at 69 years old, when I was 18. I am now 47, and to this day when I cut my slice of Pumpkin Pie, I take a moment where I think of him and am so very thankful for those special moments I had with him eating pie on Thanksgiving. I miss that man with my whole heart. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and take time to enjoy the smallest things, like a piece of pie. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 29, 2024 12:48:48 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2016 21:00:49 GMT
When I was about 11 my DB, in the Air Force, was stationed in TX. My parents decided to visit them for Thanksgiving. My father and my SIL, DB's wife, never got along. We ate dinner that SIL insisted on fixing completely on her own, it was okay. Not nearly enough food because she came from a tiny family and there were 9 of us plus her and DB. It was fine because dessert was next so we had plenty of room for the two pumpkin pies we saw. She made a grand display, to us, of cutting the pie and passing it out, insisting no one take a bite till she sat back down. Just pie, no ice cream or whipped cream. Finally she sat down and we all took a bit of pie and about gagged. Not a grain of sugar in the pie. We knew better than to spit it out though. She started crying. My Dad, who was trying to play nice, asked for the sugar bowl. He sprinkled some sugar on top and took a big bite. Exclaiming it was just fine and insisted we all do the same. It was years before I tried another piece of pumpkin pie. Looking back, I am amazed at how well behaved my Dad was with her. My Mother must have threatened him. . We laugh about it now but not if she's near. She really doesn't have much of a sense of humor. I would have loved that pie. Put some salt pepper YUM! |
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Post by psoccer on Nov 23, 2016 23:21:09 GMT
My dad had been sick with Alzheimer's, so for the past 5 years or so, I would go to their house the day before to prep and cook, and my kids and husband would come up the next day. I would pick up stuff and I would have my mom pick up stuff. My mom had the ingredients for the green bean casserole on the counter, so I made it. As soon as I tasted it, when it was on the table, I realized the onions were rancid. I wanted to grab the dish, like in slow motion and shout Noooooo, but I didn't want to hurt my mom's feelings. Now I just buy all of the ingredients and have slowly gone through my mom's cupboard. My kids still talk about it and asked me not to make it this year, although they were joking...
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. We laugh about it now but not if she's near. She really doesn't have much of a sense of humor. 
It's heart wrenching.
